More than 80 young Nigerians have graduated from the latest cohort of the Youth Sustainable Enterprise Challenge (YSEC) 2025, a programme funded by the British Council in collaboration with King’s Trust International, an organisation established by King Charles III.
The graduation event held in Abuja brought together government officials, representatives of the British Council in Nigeria, King’s Trust International, and the coordinators of the initiative, Octoville Development Company.
YSEC is designed to strengthen youth entrepreneurship across Nigeria, giving young people between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to develop their business ideas through training, mentorship, and grant support.
The 2025 edition also featured a pitch competition where participants showcased their ventures before a panel of judges. At the end of the competition, eight winners each received N300,000 seed funding to grow or scale their businesses.
Speaking at the event, Director of Programmes at the British Council, Chikodi Onyemerela, explained that the initiative began in Nigeria three years ago to support the aspirations of young people and provide opportunities for alternative but sustainable livelihoods.
According to him, “the initiative helps provide skills for young people across five states in Nigeria, including Abuja, Lagos, Rivers, Kano State as well as Enugu, with the intention of enabling them to start their own businesses and acquire sustainable entrepreneurial skills.”
Onyemerela added that the programme also impacts those who may not be entrepreneurship-minded by equipping them with employability skills. He stressed that this contributes to the Gross Domestic Product of the country.
For participants who choose the entrepreneurial path, Onyemerela said they are trained to improve existing products and services, create new ones, and build innovative solutions that are unique to Nigeria.
Chief Executive of Octoville Development Company, Nelson Okwonna, also highlighted the uniqueness of the programme. He noted that YSEC focuses on young Nigerians who are already committed to national development and have taken steps to start their own businesses.
“We are looking for people who are already willing, interested and capable. And we are now working with them to make that happen,” Okwonna said.
He explained that in addition to training, selected beneficiaries also receive grants to start their ventures.
The Special Assistant to the Minister of Youth Development on Gender Matters, Kehinde Awujoola, commended the programme and emphasized the government’s commitment to youth empowerment. She said the Bola Tinubu administration is focused on working with the private sector to create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
According to her, “the minister has been operating an open-door policy system, to bring in organisations like Octoville, bring them to the table, and see how they can collaborate, co-create, and see how we can help the Nigerian youth.”
In her remarks, Country Director of King’s Trust International, Damilola Sotiminu, urged the graduates to remain resilient despite challenges.
She encouraged them to maximize the knowledge, mentorship, and resources they had received through the programme.